Nut-lock



(No Model.)

. H. G. BOWEN.

NUT LOCK. No. 376,179. PatentedJan. 10, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HE RY CLINTON BOWEN, 0F LAMAR, MISSOURI.

NUT-LOCK.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 376,179, dated January10, 188%. I Application filed September 15, 1887. Serial No. 249,802.(No model.) i

To aZZ whom it may concern: Be it known that I, HENRY CLINTON BOWEN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Lamar, in the county of Bartonand State of Missouri, haveinvented a newand useful Improve ment inLut-Locks, of which the following is a specification. i

My invention relates to an improvement in nut-locks; and it consists inthe peculiar construction and combination of devices, that will be morefully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claim.In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a nut-locking deviceembodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig.3 is a'siinilar view showing the detent in another position.

A represents a bolt of the usual construction, the threaded shank ofwhich is provided with a series oflougitudinal ratchet-grooves,B.

0 represents the nut, having the threaded openings adapted to engage thethreaded shank of the bolt. recess, D, which extends from the centerthereof to one edge, the sides of the said recess diverging outwardly,as shown.

E represents a curved groove or recess made in the face of the nut, nearthe center thereof, the inner end of the said curved recess E communicating with the inner portion of the recess D.

F representsa pawl or detent, which is arranged in the recess D, and ispivoted on a pin or bolt, G, which extends through the nut. The innerend of this pawlor detentis adapted to engage the ratchet-grooves in thebolt, and the outer end thereof is provided at one cor nor withaprojectiug trip-arm, H. On the in ner edge of the pawl or detent, at asuitable distance from the engagii'igrpoints thereof, is a notch, I.

K represents a yoke,which has one end pivoted in an openingin the faceofthe nut. The

' outer end of the said yoke is bent inward at right angles and causedtomovein the groove E. The length of this yoke is such that when it ismoved outward fromthegroove E into the recess D it is adapted to engagethe notch I on the inner side of the pawl or detent, and thereby retainthe latter in such aposition that its engaging end is out of contactwith the bolt,

In the outer side of the nut is a therefrom, one of the said armsbearing against one side of the recess -D and the other arm bearingagainstthe opposing side of the pawl or detent near the outer endthereof.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The yoke is normallydisengaged from the detent, as illustrated in Fig.3. When the nut isapplied to the bolt, when screwed thereon, the pawl slips idly over thethreaded stem of the bolt. When the nutis screwed home, it is so turnedwith relation-to the bolt that the end of the pawl or detent is causedby the spring L to engage one of the ratchet grooves, and therebyprevent the nut from being rotated on the boltin a reverse direction,consequently securely locking the nut to the bolt.

When it is desired to unscrew the nut from the bolt, the operatorpresses against the triparm H, and thereby turns the pawl or detent onits pivot a sufficient distance to cause it to disengage the notch inthe bolt. He then turns the yoke K to the position indicated in Figs. 1and 2, and causes it to engage the notch I, and thereby hold the pawl ordetent out of engagement with the bolt, after which the nut may bereadily unscrewed from the bolt.

The spring L forces the pawl into such position that the bearing of thebolt, when the nut starts to'unscrew, is in a line inclining upwardslightly from the engaging-point of the pawl 't0 the pivot of the same,and nearly coinciding with the line between pivot and point.Consequently, even were the springL removed, the nut could not unscrewwithout breaking the pawl.

The function of the spring L is not to hold the pawl engaged, but toforce it into position to engage in the manner described.

It is almost unnecessary to say that the manner of engagement is muchmore secure than that caused by a spring, which could be put undertension without breaking the pawl.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim- ICO The combination, with the bolt having the ing in the recess Eand arranged to turn up longitudinal ratchet grooves B and the nut intothe notch I and hold the pawl out of on having the recesses D and E, ofthe pawl F, gagement, substantially as specified. having the trip-arm IIon its outer end and the In testimony thatIelaiin the foregoing as my 5notch I on its lower edge, and pivoted at G in own I have hereto affixedmy signature in pres- 15 the recess D, the coiled spring L on the pin M,enee of two witnesses.

arranged to put the point of the pawl into po- HENRY CLlNTON BOWEN.sition to engage in one of the grooves of the Witnesses: bolt at a pointa very little lower than the I. A. BOWEN,

1o pivot thereof, and the pivoted yohe K, inov- L. G. llIALLONEE.

